1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a negative active material, a negative electrode including the negative active material, and a lithium secondary battery including the negative electrode.
2. Description of the Related Art
High capacity silicon-based negative electrode materials are receiving much attention as negative electrode materials for next generation lithium batteries because silicon can theoretically provide a specific capacity of 3,570 mAh/g at room temperature. However, such negative electrode materials undergo a volumetric expansion of about 280% at room temperature during lithium intercalation and deintercalation processes. Due to the volumetric expansion, silicon particles in the negative electrode materials are pulverized, and all charge and discharge characteristics (i.e., initial charge and discharge efficiencies, average charge and discharge efficiencies, lifespan characteristics, and high rate discharge characteristics) rapidly deteriorate, which causes delays in the commercialization of the negative electrode materials, despite their high theoretical capacities.
Accordingly, there remains a need for a negative active material having high capacity and which is capable of maintaining other charge and discharge characteristics (i.e., initial charge and discharge efficiencies, average charge and discharge efficiencies, lifespan characteristics, and high rate discharge characteristics) at a high level.